Bathysquillidae

Abstract: Numerous specimens of a new, deep-water stomatopod, Altosquilla soelae, new genus, new species (Bathysquillidae), have been collected from the Australian Northwest Shelf area, at depths of 400-456 m. This new species is the first representative of the Bathysquillidae to be found in Australian waters. Altosquilla soelae is immediately distinguishable from all other stomatopods by the presence of five pairs of conspicuous, dorsally curved, mobile spines along the posterior margin of the telson.

Abstract: Two deep-sea mantis shrimps, Bathysquilla crassispinosa {Fukuda) and B. microps ({Manning), are reported for the first time from Australian Seas, from about 350m and l000m depths respectively in the Coral Sea. The morphology of the specimens is described and illustrated and the relationship and zoogeography of the family Bathysquillidae are discussed.

Abstract: Numerous specimens of a new, deep-water stomatopod, Altosquilla soelae, new genus, new species (Bathysquillidae), have been collected from the Australian Northwest Shelf area, at depths of 400-456 m. This new species is the first representative of the Bathysquillidae to be found in Australian waters. Altosquilla soelae is immediately distinguishable from all other stomatopods by the presence of five pairs of conspicuous, dorsally curved, mobile spines along the posterior margin of the telson. The Fisheries Division of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (C.S.I.R.O.) has been conducting a detailed survey of the benthic fauna of the Australian Northwest Shelf slope, from offDampier to the Bonaparte Archipelago in depths of 300-700 m, by means of trawls, epibenthic sledges, dredges, and other gear, in March-April 1982 and January-February 1984. These operations have been based primarily on the FRV Soela, and have produced a wealth of information on this little studied area, including many faunistic records of crustaceans and other animals new to the Australian fauna. Amongst the crustacean material collected from the deeper offshore areas, a large stomatopod was conspicuous. On examination this was found to be a bathysquillid of an undescribed genus that required slight modification of the generic and familial definitions as proposed by Manning (1968, 1969). The Bathysquillidae is a small family of the Stomatopoda, with only two previously described genera, with a total of three species, all of which are found only in deep water. Ingle and Merrett (1971) have suggested that one species, Indosquilla manihinei, is primitive in some respects and an intermediate with the fossil family Sculdidae. In this report the new stomatopod is described and illustrated, a new genus, Altosquilla, is designated, and the definition of the family Bathysquillidae is modified for its reception.